TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will extend expiring work permits for a year for tens of thousands of migrant workers, CNA reported, citing a Ministry of Labor (MOL) press release.

According to the release, the ministry has decided that the employers of industrial or social welfare migrant workers in Taiwan whose work permits will expire before Dec. 31 of this year can apply to extend their employee's work permits for a year once the employee reaches the legal maximum of working in the country for 12 or 14 years, according to the report.

If agreed upon by both qualified migrants and their employers, the employers can apply to the MOL to extend the expiring employment permits for a year, 30 days before or after the expiration date, according to the MOL.

According to MOL statistics from March 2020 to April 2022, the ministry has approved a total of 32,861 applications filed by employers for extending their employment permits. There are currently about 35,320 migrant workers in Taiwan whose work permits will expire this year, per CNA.